IVAN THE FOOL: FOLKLORE PORTRAIT AND WAY OF EXISTENCE

Abstract

The study purpose is to analyze the way of existence of the folk character Ivan the Fool. The author proceeds from a presumption of openness of Ivan to the world. Methodologically the situation of openness is modelled through elements of existential analytics of M. Heidegger − the existential of “favour”, “understanding” and “speech” designed to set type of openness (Da-) Dasein. According to this methodological imperative in respect of the development of the existential of “speech”, the folklore portrait of the Fool and peculiar features of his discursive communication are reconstructed in the paper on the basis of fairy tales, proverbs and sayings.The appearance of the fantastic hero bears symbolical reference to the animality; his verbal manifestations are communicative. From the point of view of “favor” and “understanding”, the Fool embodies himself a specific ability to be, consisting in special (pre-cultural) modes of corporality including a mismatch of the processes of hearing and speaking, static character, as well as an absolutely special motivational and valuable sphere dispersing from the dominating cultural codes. As a result, the fantastic Fool shows indirectly some kind of a “median” way of existence alternative to both domination, and animal, biological life. It is the life out of habitual oppositions due and real, desire and the law, personal and public, etc., out of the desire to shake bases, out of any ambition and heroism. And this life is still creative, extremely intensive, aimed to test the margin of its capacity, in ecstasy - to test the limits of the simplicity.

Keywords

• dasein